Man pleads not guilty to assault, robbery

A man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he pulled out a machete on a cab driver in Costa Mesa and threw the man’s cell phone down the street during an argument.

Phong Van Trong, 48, of West Covina, is in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail after Huntington Beach police arrested him for allegedly hitting a cab driver in the leg with the side of a machete blade, police said. Trong was charged with first degree robbery, assault with a deadly weapon that wasn’t a firearm and damaging a wireless device to prevent a call for assistance from police.

About 1:30 a.m. Sunday near Euclid Street and the 405 Freeway in Fountain Valley, police say Trong and a cab driver became embroiled in an argument after one had cut the other off, leading to a chase on the 405 Freeway.

The cab driver exited on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, where Trong managed to pull ahead of him and block his car in the street, Costa Mesa Sgt. Bryan Glass said. Trong got out of his car and went over to the man, and the two began fighting, Glass said. Somewhere in the fight, authorities say Trong returned to his car and pulled out the machete.

When the cab driver tried to call police with his cellphone, Trong grabbed it and ran back to his car and sped off, eventually tossing it from the car, Glass said. The cab driver and a witness to the conflict gave chase, according to police.

The witness called police and followed Trong into Huntington Beach, near Beach Boulevard and Warner Avenue, where he was eventually arrested, police said.

Trong remains in custody and has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Dec. 8.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].